The Devotion of Three
by Stratusfied247
Summary: [Charmed GH XOVER] Andy gets called away to Caracas very last minute and must explain to Prue who he really is. As Andy, he hopes that she understands enough to love him. As Leandro Alcazar, he hopes she can save his brother, Luis. [COMPLETE]
1. Chapter 1

**_Author's Note: This story is a Charmed/GH crossover. While watching Charmed Season 1 again, I realized just how very "Alcazar" Andy was most of the time. So, I decided to turn the Alcazar twins into Alcazar triplets. Also, this story is set back in 2002, when Luis "died." When it ends, I may or may not do a sequel that fast forwards to today. I'm leaning more towards may than may not. For the Charmed people... _**

**_Andy wasn't killed, though he came close. Prue didn't die, though again, it came close. Cole was not killed and, as of 2002, I have him with Phoebe. He's still got the powers he was given, but he hasn't crossed completely to the dark side as the new Source. Piper and Leo are married, but they don't have any children. I can't remember exactly when Wyatt was born, so I'm just going to play with time enough so that he's not yet been born. And finally, as you can see, Prue and Andy are together. _**

The voice coming from the bedroom was familiar, but the words most certainly were not. Prue Halliwell furrowed her brow in confusion and listened more. His voice was clear, angry but still clear, and if he'd have been speaking in Spanish, she would have easily been able to tell what he was saying. As far as she knew, he didn't even know Spanish, at least not well enough to be rambling with such emotion. He'd taken French in high school, though she guessed he could have taken Spanish in college.

Prue put her hand against the partially cracked bedroom door and pushed it open. With her left hand, she continued to briskly brush her wet hair with a light blue towel. Strings hung from the end, and as her fingers got caught up between the frays, Prue groaned and reminded herself that it was time to go shopping again. As she listened to the foreign words, the voice growing softer and starting to choke off, she looked down at the towel that was wrapped around her body. Whatever was going on, this was going to be a real discussion, one that she probably should have been dressed for, but since it was her house, it wasn't exactly like she would be the one that left if it went wrong.

She pushed the door open and stepped inside, closing it tightly behind her. Inspector Andy Trudeau turned towards her, still on the phone, and Prue could see his eyes glistening. "_No puedo hablar de esto ahora, Lorenzo. Tengo cosas..._" He sighed and Prue was even more curious. "_Tomaré cuidado de mi parte, pero usted apenas se cerciora de que él no muera. ¿Entendido? Usted se cerciora de que él todavía esté vivo para el momento en que consiga allí._" He snapped his cellular phone shut and let his arm drop to his side.

"Well, aren't we the bilingual one?" Prue tried to laugh, to pretend that the mood was lighter, but that was nearly impossible. Andy's eyes should have been a brilliant blue, brought out by the livid azure shirt that hung open and flapping at his sides, but instead, they were dark with pain and anger. "Care to tell me when you learned Spanish that well? Or why you're so upset?"

"Prue, I…" He shook his head and dropped the small phone to the bed. He looked down and started to quickly button his shirt. His hands shook and his fingers fumbled at the buttons. "I've gotta go. I know we were supposed to go to a concert tomorrow night, but I've gotta leave town. But, I'll make it up to you as soon as I can. I just…"

"Wait a minute." Prue cut in. As far as she knew, she had always been the one in the relationship with the habit of running away. And if Andy were actually running somewhere, he should have gotten out of the house before she got out of the shower. "You're just… leaving like that? I mean, I come in to see you trying not to cry, incredibly upset, and you're just going to go without an explanation? Not to mention the fact that I've never in my life heard you speak any language that well except for English."

He looked up at her and sighed. His mouth opened and for a second, Prue thought that he was going to ramble about something, let all of his thoughts pour out like they had during the truth spell. Instead, though, he sighed again and simply said, "You're not the only one with secrets, Prue."

"Oh, now you're definitely not getting out of here without an explanation." As she neared the bed, Prue dropped her towel and slid into a thick, white robe. She may not have needed the ability to cut and run, but she was a lot more comfortable arguing when she had at least the semblence of being clothes. She tightened the heavy belt and said, "Secrets are what nearly destroyed us last time. You're the one that told me I couldn't keep secrets from you, so you're one hell of a hypocrite to keep one from me. Especially one that's so big from the look of you."

"Prue…" Andy took a step forward, then stopped as his leg started to shake. He put his hand down on the bed to steady himself, then pushed himself up straight again. As he rose, he grabbed his jacket and tie from the foot of the bed. He threw the jacket over his arm and stuffed the tie into his pocket. "I really doubt any secret can be as big as yours."

"And I really doubt that yours is small if you're so intent to keep it a secret. And if you're ready to run out of here when you're in such… I don't know. Shock? You're so messed up you can barely walk, and you're going to tell me that it's nothing? I don't believe you, Andy."

"Prue, I really don't have time for this. I have to call Morris and tell him to cover for me, and I've got to get a flight out and…" He shook his head. "I don't have time for this."

"Then make the time." He stared at her for a minute, then grabbed his phone and shoved it in his pocket. He started walking to the door. He had the hard mahogany door halfway open when it slammed shut. He turned and Prue sighed. "Don't make me do more, Andy. I can plant you right here and you won't be able to move."

Andy stood with his back to her, his shoulders rising and falling. His back was rigid as he said, "Don't do this, Prue." He jerked on the knob, but it still wouldn't open. She wasn't about to let him get out that easily. Not after all the time he'd spent that first year, practically begging her to tell him the secret she'd held so tightly. If she could finally break and tell him that she and her sisters were witches, the prophesied Charmed Ones, then he could tell her whatever was causing his pain.

Slowly, Andy turned towards her. His shoulders drooped and his body sagged. He rose his hand and flattened it over the lower half of his face. Slowly, his fingers drew in until his hand was a hollow cup over his mouth. He stared at her for a second, then let his hand drop. "Don't make me do this, Prue. I don't have the time to tell you all of it, and if I just tell you the start… You're not gonna like it."

"Just tell me." She walked towards him, her feet moving carefully and deliberately across the floor. She stopped in front of him and pressed her hand to his cheek. "We're beyond the point where we can't say what we need to say." Her hand dropped and she grabbed both of his hands tightly. "You told me once… you said that you wanted this certain kind of life, and you couldn't have that with me. You wanted a life that didn't include demons."

"Prue…" He sighed. "I realized that I could take the demons. What I couldn't take was being without you."

"You're with me now, Andy, and nothing you say now can change that. We're… we're stronger than that, and anything that's wrong, I can handle it. You can tell me the rest when you get where you're going, or when you get back, or whenever, but right now… Andy, I can't let you out that door looking like this, without knowing what's wrong."

He took in a deep breath and slowly pulled his hands from her grip. He reached up and lightly cupped her face. Andy brought her in close and kissed her softly, then pulled back. He left dampness on her face from the tears that had leaked out when he kissed her.

"My name isn't Andy Trudeau," he said softly. "Trudeau is my mother's maiden name. I'm…" He stopped and sighed. "My name is Leandro Alcazar, and on the phone was my brother, Lorenzo. We're a triplet, and he just told me…" He gulped. "Luis is very nearly dead, and I have to go to South America. Right now."

Prue stared at him in shock as he stepped back from her. In her awe, she lost her control on the door. Andy pulled it open easily and slipped out, leaving her there to watch as the door closed behind him. Prue stepped forward, her hand on the door, ready to open it again and follow him out, but she couldn't force her body on. She just stood frozen, staring at the door, and wondering what she should do next.


	2. Chapter 2

It was absolutely remarkable that Luis Alcazar was still alive. Nearly every bone in his body was broken, his skull was smashed in the back… He was barely even recognizable, and yet looking down, both of his brothers could still see themselves in his face. They could see themselves laying in his place, holding on to a string of life that shouldn't have been there.

As far as the people in Port Charles knew, Luis Alcazar was dead. They had no idea exactly who had pushed him, though they had a few ideas. On his way down to South America, Andy had run up a very high airline phone bill calling contacts he had in the New York area. He minimally recognized the name of one suspect, but the others were complete mysteries to him, as was the reason his brother was in a position to be murdered, in the first place.

No one could understand why Luis was still alive. Their people in Port Charles had been against flying him to South America, all sure that he would die in transit. He made it there alive, and the doctors south of the equator told them the same things that the others had. He wouldn't live through the night. That had been two days ago. They didn't know why Luis was alive, but Lorenzo didn't have faith that he would survive much longer. Leandro had to come home to say goodbye.

"I don't understand." Lorenzo Alcazar paced back and forth, his heels clicking against the tile floor. "He should be dead. By all rights, he should be dead."

"He's not, so shut up." Andy paced in the opposite direction of Lorenzo. They passed one another in the center, both stopped to look at Luis lying still on the bed, then continued their trek. "He obviously has a reason to live. Something is making him hold on, even though he's got to be in unbearable pain."

Lorenzo continued to move back and forth, his arms half folded. His left hand gripped his right elbow. His right hand rested at the lower half of his face, index and middle fingers poised on his upper lip. Again, the Alcazars stopped in the middle of their pace and turned to one another. "Brenda Barrett," Lorenzo said, his way of explanation. The only thing he could think of that kept his brother alive.

"Brenda Barrett?" Andy narrowed his eyes and scrunched his forehead thoughtfully. "That's the name at the top of the suspect list." He rose his hand to tap his forehead, then let his hand fall down his face. "Do you think she could have killed him?" He shook his head. "Tried to kill him?"

Lorenzo sighed. "With Luis… who knows. Do you realize how many enemies he made in Port Charles? But… I don't know." He shook his head, then began his pace, once more. A second later, Andy was pacing as well. "I've met this woman, and while she is a lot of things, I don't know that she's a killer. I don't know that she's that strong, Leandro."

"Is she the woman he picked up in the islands? This so great love of his?" Andy pursed his lips in concentration. "He would let her do it, Lorenzo. Wouldn't he? Wasn't he that far gone?"

"Luis was a lot of things, but he wasn't completely masochistic. I do not believe that he'd allow any woman to kill him, no matter how much he loved her. You would know these things had you come home more often, Leandro."

"Don't, Lorenzo." He stopped, three-quarters of the way into his rotation and turned to his brother. "You weren't there, either. You went off just as quickly as I did, wanting nothing to do with that life."

"But, I didn't come a police officer."

"Inspector," he corrected him, "and no, you didn't. You were going to be a history teacher and live this oblivious life. For a woman, I believe? Were you really so different than Luis in that respect?"

"Were you?" Lorenzo dropped both arms to his sides, then shoved his hands in his pockets. It was hard for him to look at him while he looked so much like Luis. The same hair, even the same type of suit. Though, Luis wouldn't have been caught dead in a tie with so much print on it. He, himself, wore his usual black – shirt, jacket, slacks. "I remember your own insistence to return to San Francisco, and for what? I believe her name is Prudence?"

"Leave Prue out of this, Lorenzo."

"Leave Sophie out of it, Leandro, and I'll show you the same courtesy."

Andy's head was aching. This was one of the reasons that he didn't come home, very often. There was always some conflict between any two of the brothers, and whether he were a part of it or not, Andy always, somehow, managed to get involved in it. "This isn't about us, Lorenzo," he said. "This is about Luis. You called me here to say goodbye to a brother that refuses to die. He's not attached to any machines, but he's still there."

"He's there, but he's not." Lorenzo sighed in resignation. He was usually better than this, more in control. "If he's really in there somewhere, he's not waking up. And if he doesn't wake up, what are we to do? Am I supposed to just put a bullet in his head?"

"Don't you dare!" He strode up to Lorenzo quickly, his fists balled at his sides. "You are not going to finish him off. Jesus, Lorenzo, what have you become? It's been twenty years since Sophie died. Are you still so broken? Or have you truly become so entrenched in this life… this life that I can't even condone. Jesus Christ, Lorenzo, you're a drug kingpin! I'm a cop! How am I supposed to condone that?"

"You don't have to condone it." His glare was cold, the wall that he put up to control his emotions slowly rebuilding itself in the wake of his own pain. "And can you say that you wouldn't do the same as I did if your Prudence were to die? If you lost her tomorrow, can you say that you wouldn't return to your family and join with us?"

"I…" He stopped himself. He couldn't say for certain that Lorenzo was wrong. If Prue had died, he didn't know that he could say that he'd be able to face his life as Andy Trudeau again. For all he knew, he would have retaken his name, become as reserved as Lorenzo, and dwelled in the life that he had condemned for years.

"Exactly." Lorenzo turned back towards the bed and stared at Luis. He was waiting for him to open his eyes or die. Either one would be an end to the situation, an end to the pain of not knowing. Watching him like that, so close to death but unable to slip into oblivion, was causing Lorenzo's wall to crumble and he didn't know if tears would flow at any minute. "What do we do about Luis, Leandro?"

Andy turned towards the bed and sighed. Slowly, he walked up to stand beside Lorenzo. He folded his arms then, as a thought came to his mind, his arms slowly fell. It wasn't fair of him, what he wanted to do, but it was about time that he did something that wasn't fair. Hadn't he risked his career to help them? Hadn't his life been turned upside down? Hadn't he nearly died for them? For her? They owed him this and he deserved the chance to ask for a favor.

Andy pulled a phone out of his pocket, then stopped. He had no idea if his own cell would work in South America, but Lorenzo's would. He turned to him and held out his hand. Lorenzo looked at him with curiosity. "I need your phone, Lorenzo. Please, just trust me." He was hesitant, but handed the phone over. Andy turned and started to dial.

As he waited for an answer, his body twitched with nervous energy. After the way he'd left Prue, he didn't even know that she would talk to him, let alone fly all the way down to South America. It was quite possible that, even if she did want to come, they were in the middle of some massive monster hunt and she wouldn't be able to come. But, then again, it was entirely possible that she wanted to know what was going on so badly that she would be on the next flight out.

The line picked up and Andy quickly said, "Prue?" He paused, then sighed. "Phoebe. I need to talk to Prue." She questioned, babbled, then he said, "Phoebe, please! I need to talk to Prue."

Again, he was waiting, but when Prue's voice came over the line, she was hesitant, wary. "Andy?" He could hear the tremble in her voice, and he worried that this whole thing would send her running again. No matter how long they were together, how close they became… Even if they were to get married that night, he would still wonder if something would send her running away from him. "Andy, are you, um, alright?"

"I need your help, Prue." His head bent and he cradled his forehead with his hand. "I need you to come to Caracas, right now. By the time you get to the airport, your ticket will be there. I just… I really need you right now, Prue."

"Andy, I… I can't just leave. I…"

"Please, Prue." He sighed and his body shivered. He thought for a moment that tears would fall, but he steeled himself, forcing them back down. "My brother's going to die, Prue. I need you here."

The line was silent and Andy waited for some sign that she'd hung up. He looked to the face of the phone, and the call was still connected. Replacing the phone at his ear, he heard a heavy sigh, then Prue's voice saying, "Alright. I can't stay for long, but… I'll come. BUT… you have to promise that you'll explain this all to me. You have to tell me everything."

"I will, Prue, I swear it. But right now…" He sighed. "Just get to the airport. The ticket will be there. I love you, Prue." He hung up, not wanting to risk the chance that she didn't return his words. He turned to Lorenzo and handed him his phone back. "Prue's on her way."

"Unless she's a miracle worker, Leandro, I have no idea what she could do."

Andy looked at him, then turned towards Luis's still form. His arms dangled heavily at his side and he let out an intense breath. "You have absolutely no idea just what kind of miracles Prue Halliwell can perform."


	3. Chapter 3

**_Author's Note: I have changed a bit of the history of Andy with the Halliwell girls to explain how Leandro Alcazar became Andy Trudeau. The last name has been explained in the first chapter. The only thing that I've drastically changed is that Andy did not "grow up" with the girls, as was seen in the episode where they went back in time. However, he was there to go to high school with Prue, at least some of high school. You will find quite a few references herein to things that were mentioned in Season 1. Hopefully, I've explained enoughfor it to be an easy transition. If not, feel free to ask and I'll either remedy it in an author's note ormix it in to a later chapter._**

Prue had once thought that Andy didn't truly know her, but now, listening to his story, she realized that it was the other way around. Since the day they met, he'd been someone else, and she didn't even know it. She thought she knew all there was to him, and now she had to realize she hadn't known much about him at all.

And yet, she could almost feel the slap to the side of the head that Piper would surely have given her. And Phoebe, too, quite possibly. So she didn't know what his real name was. So she didn't know about his true family. But, had Prue really been so different? It was years before she told Andy the truth about her family, the story of the Warren family line of witches. The name didn't make the person, the actions did, and what she was seeing from Andy Trudeau now… whether he were Andy or this Leandro Alcazar… it was all the same.

He had always cared about his friends and family. He'd go to the limits for any of them. Was it such a shock that he would rush to his brother's bedside, then? Not really. If he were off and someone told him that Prue were dying, he'd rush back. Hell, he'd have rushed back if someone said that Phoebe or Piper were dying. In the end, he was still the same man. He was still the man she fell in love with, the man that had stood at her side in all of his human glory and faced down demons, warlocks and more all because he felt the need to protect her.

"So, you just… left." Prue shook her head and closed her eyes for a moment. There was so much information to take in so quickly that her head was starting to ache. The ringing in her ears was vaguely reminiscent of the time she switched powers with Phoebe. She didn't like it now anymore than she had back then. "Can you just leave a family like that?"

"Lorenzo did." He shrugged and sighed. He was obviously tired, both physically and emotionally. He looked haggard and weary, as though it took all of his will and concentration to stay on his feet. Prue waited for him to collapse at any moment. "I was sixteen, Prue. It was obvious that I wasn't going into the family business, and Luis was more than happy to take the reigns. I think Dad thought we would all eventually end up back home. Lorenzo did." He shrugged again. "I just… I made a life somewhere else."

"And Portland wasn't really Portland." She sighed. "Well, for a while, but not the entire time. And your ex-wife? Susan?"

"Doesn't have a clue. I never had a reason to tell her."

"But you're telling me." She sighed and her body slumped slightly. "I want to think it's because you trust me, but in the end… I wonder if it's because you seem to need something from me. You had to tell me. You didn't want to, and I should understand that. You found out about us because you had to. But, Andy…"

"When was I going to tell you, Prue? When we were laying in bed wondering if we'd ever make it to prom? When we broke up a million times? How about when we got back together? God, Prue, I'm scared that you're going to cut and run on me at any second…"

"That's not fair, Andy. I had my reasons."

"And this would have just been one more reason for you, one more excuse to stay far away from me. I love you, Prue, and of all the reasons you had to leave me, I didn't want this to be one of them. I didn't want a family business that I have nothing to do with to be a reason for you leaving me."

Prue narrowed her eyes in anger. Not at his words, necessarily, but because she knew that he was right. When she her reserve of fresh excuses were dwindling, she would have grabbed a hold of this one and never let it go. As things stood, she wanted to turn and get back on a plane. She wanted to go to San Francisco and pretend that none of this had happened and have a good reason to never see him again. Of course, she would have had to explain to her sisters, but even that she could put off for a time.

But, she loved him. She couldn't just walk away, not when there was so much love in his eyes. His royal blue shirt made his eyes seem just as dark, so different from when he wore any other shade. She knew that his eyes were a light, cerulean shade, but staring at him with eyes darkened by regality… Staring at him with eyes darkened by the immense love and desperation he felt, she couldn't just turn away from him.

"Andy, I just… God, am I even supposed to still call you that? Were you every Andy at all?"

"I've always been Andy. It's just weird being here sometimes because Lorenzo will never call me anything but Leandro." He sighed and shook his head. "The business may not be mine, Prue, but this family is. That's my brother in there, and I love him. I hate what he does for a living, and every part of my moral fiber says that I should have worked to put him in jail when he was in the States, but I love him no matter what."

A throat cleared behind Andy and Prue jumped. She'd been staring at him so intently that she didn't realize someone else was there. To look up and see Andy's face only inches behind the one she loved so dearly made her heart stop. There were a few differences, but not many. The man behind Andy had longer hair. Not so that it touched his shoulders or moved too freely, but long enough that he'd obviously used some sort of product to hold it all back. It would never reach a ponytail, but she bet when he washed it, the hair was long enough to shake. A beard was growing on his face, a face that was just a tiny bit fuller than Andy's, but it was something she could picture on Andy if he went a couple of days without shaving. It was… It was Andy, but it wasn't.

Dressed in all black, Lorenzo Alcazar crossed his arms over his chest. He looked at Prue with cool eyes. Not necessarily enough to give her a chill, but more than enough to let her know that he didn't think she should be there. That he didn't know what good she could possibly do other than to hold his brother's hand while Luis died. As it were, Prue didn't know that she could do more than that, anyway, and if she knew Andy at all, he would need her to at least do that for him. Lorenzo just seemed like a man that didn't trust very many people, and he didn't see the need for gawkers at his brother's deathbed.

"While I am sure that your conversation is riveting, by the time you're done, Leandro, Luis will be dead. If she's going to do anything, she needs to do it, now."

Andy sighed. This felt like the continuation of an argument that had been going on long before Prue arrived in Venezuela. "Prue, meet Lorenzo Alcazar. Lorenzo, this is Prue Halliwell."

Lorenzo nodded. "Nice to meet you, though believe me, I wish it were under different circumstances."

"Uh, same here." She looked to Andy. "What is it that you think I can do?" She looked at him with an intense gaze. "What did you tell him that I could do?"

Instead of answering either question, Andy just took her hand and turned. He pushed past Lorenzo and walked her into the room. A few feet inside, Prue stopped, planting her feet firmly. Even though she didn't know Luis Alcazar, the sight of him sprung instant tears to her eyes. Where there was enough about Lorenzo to distinguish him from her lover, she felt as though she were staring at Andy lying near death's door on that bed. Most of Luis was covered in bandages, but down to the body type, she would swear that it was Andy.

Prue took a shaky step forward, pulling her hand from Andy. It was like being in a nightmare. She thought possibly the intense pounding of her heart was what she'd have felt had she gotten the premonition that Phoebe had of Andy dying. Phoebe had seen a dead Andy Trudeau lying on the floor of the manor, and she was seeing him on the brink of death on a bed in South America.

She stopped at the foot of the bed and her fingers wrapped around the painted wood that ended the bed. "I…" She stopped as her throat closed up and concentrated to open it back up. "I don't know what you want me to do, Andy."

He walked up behind her and she felt his arms slide around her waist. His nose weasled its way into the back of her hair. He rose one hand and pulled her hair back behind her head, then rested his chin on her shoulder. Andy's breath was hot against her neck as he whispered, "You can fix this, Prue. You can make him better."

She turned to him slowly, her eyes wide with shock. "Andy…" She shook her head. "Even if we knew a…" She looked behind him to Lorenzo then sighed. She lowered her voice. "…spell that would fix this." Prue's head turned over her shoulder to look at Luis. "It would take the Power of Three, and there's only me."

"You know something else that can do this, Prue." He hugged her tightly and she felt his body sag ever so slightly. "I hate doing this," he said, pulling back enough to look into her face. "I hate asking you for this. I don't want to ask you for anything. But, he's my brother. I can't let him die knowing that I know someone who can fix this."

Prue pulled away from him and walked to the window. Looking out of the high rise hotel, she could see clear through the city. They were in a bustline area, and all of the people rushing back and forth looked like so many toys being slid across a huge game board. So many people down there, so many strangers, innocents…

She knew that it was in her power to help them all, should they need it. So many strangers she had helped over the years, people who she would never see again. She'd asked so much of Andy in the past. How could she deny him even the attempt? There was no guarantee that it would work, that it could even be done. A small voice inside of her laid out all of the cons to doing this, but she didn't listen to it. She couldn't. Of all the things that had broken them up in the past, she knew that, should she not even try, this would surely be the end of them. There was no way that Andy would ever look at her again, knowing that she'd had the opportunity to save his brother and hadn't even tried. And she wouldn't have been able to look at him knowing that she had failed him so dearly.

Prue slowly turned back around and sighed. "Alright," she said, then turned her head upwards. She thought that she probably should have had Lorenzo leave the room, but seeing as how she would have to explain to Luis when he woke up, if he woke up, there was no use in clearing the room of bystanders. Besides, she got the distinct impression that, one way or another, Lorenzo would force the truth from someone.

She called out, "Leo!" Her arms were folded tightly around her midsection. Andy crossed the floor and put his arms around her. Slowly, her arms came loose, then wrapped around his waist. She turned her head to the side and called out, again. "Leo! I know you hear me! Let Piper go and get here! Leo! Dammit, Leo where are you!"

A shimmer of white lights fell into the room, hundred of little glowing bulbs. They came together to form a tall man with short blonde hair and a very confused look on his face. Before he could say anything, though, Lorenzo's gasp took everyone's attention. He stood with his arms at his sides, staring unabashedly at the new addition to the room.

Lorenzo shook his head, looked again, then ran a hand down his face. He took his eyes off of this man who could only be the summoned Leo and looked at his brother. "Leandro…" His voice was low and a little bit shaky. "Dear God, what have you brought down upon us?"


	4. Chapter 4

Andy remembered something his mother had told him once. _Think about the others in the room before you open the front door and let a stranger into your inner sanctum._ Staring at his brother's confused and bewildered face, he wished that he had remembered to do that before Leo appeared from tiny glowing orbs. Not that he expected Lorenzo to faint or anything quite so drastic, but if he weren't inclined to explain things beforehand, he was even less inclined to do so, now.

"You leave us for San Francisco and come back with dealings in the occult?" Lorenzo spoke to his brother, but his eyes bore holes into Leo. "You bring this here… When we are already trying to cover things up? Do you realize if your friends in law enforcement find out that Luis is alive they will come after him?"

"No one's finding anything out, Lorenzo." Andy sighed and shook his head. "I've already taken care of that. No one will know that Luis is alive unless we tell them. And this is not the occult. I've already been down that road and believe me, that's not what it is."

"Then you tell me what it is, Leandro." He finally tore his gaze from Leo and let it settle on Andy. He moved slowly across the floor, his arms brushing lightly against his sides as he walked. He stopped a few feet in front of Andy, then folded his arms. "What exactly is that? And, why do you trust him enough to bring him here? Why do you trust this woman enough…"

"Her name is Prue and I trust her because she trusts me. Even when she shouldn't." He sighed and shook his head. Part of him was afraid that, despite everything else, he had just given Prue another excuse to break up with him. If she so chose, she could spin this to Andy taking advantage of her, Andy lying to her, or Andy putting her in some kind of risk. "He can heal Luis, Lorenzo. Didn't you call me here to do whatever I could?"

"I called you here to cover it up in case he lived on his own and to say goodbye when he finally died!" Lorenzo turned from him and stepped to the foot of the bed. He looked down on Luis and lowered his head. His brother was so still and calm. He had never seen Luis so immobile, so near death. He'd been shot plenty of times. He'd even been nearly strangled once, but this… This was eminent death before him, and he didn't know how to handle it. Of course, neither did he know how to handle the man that had miraculously appeared in this room. "What is he, Leandro? What is she?"

And there is was, the question that Andy had been unsure he would be able to answer. Not that he couldn't tell him, he just didn't know how. He didn't think they had the time for him to sit and explain Charmed Ones, the Power of Three, white lighters, or anything else that had crossed his path since 1998. Now, four years and numerous demons and warlocks later, there was so much that could answer a question that Lorenzo had known wasn't going to be easy when he asked it. Lorenzo wouldn't want a temporary answer, anyway. The scholar in him would want the truth, all of it, no matter how long it took.

"We don't have time to explain it all, Lorenzo." Andy walked up behind him and let out a heavy breath. Carefully, he rested his hand on Lorenzo's shoulder. "We both know that whatever is making Luis hold on won't last forever. He's going to die unless something is done."

Lorenzo turned on him, but said nothing. His head turned and he looked to the far side of the room. In their fraternal conversation, Prue and Leo had crossed into a corner, speaking in low voices. He didn't know what this man could do for Luis, but more than that, he didn't know if he would do whatever his brother thought he could. The look on his face said that he wasn't happy with the situation and Prudence Halliwell didn't seem to be any more enthused. Both looked as though they would have been happier to be left out of it. As he neither knew nor trusted either of them, Lorenzo would have been happier with the same.

"I can't do this, Andy." Leo turned towards them and his shoulders sagged. As he crossed the room, he said, "Prue shouldn't even have called me. You shouldn't have called her. This isn't something…"

"Bullshit!" Andy cut him off and strode quickly to him, crossing the gap in a matter of steps. "You can fix him. I've seen you bring people back that were on the brink of death. Don't tell me that you can't do this. Don't tell me that, after all I've done to help the sisters, you can't give me this one little thing."

"This isn't one little thing." Leo backed away from Andy, and if Andy had realized what he was doing or the look on his face, he would have completely understood. His eyes grew darker by the second. His body radiated his anger and frustration. He took baby steps towards Leo, as though his feet were sticking to the floor and he had to pry them up. "This is… I've already orbed in front of a stranger."

"He's not a stranger," Andy said in a low growl, "he's my brother."

"He still has no idea what's going on. My job is to protect the sisters, and that doesn't involve saving friends and family from themselves, or trouble they've gotten themselves into."

Andy was like a blur as he rushed forward. He grabbed Leo by the shirt, gray cotton balling and wrinkling in his hands. Before anyone could reach them, he was half across the room with Leo pinned against the wall. "You son of a bitch! Don't you come here and tell me that I'm wrong in wanting my brother to live! You healed a fucking demon, but you can't heal him? My brother doesn't have an evil side, no matter what his business is or what he does. Love of a woman got him into this and what the hell is purer than love, huh? You better help him, or so help me God, you'll see what I can do! I don't give a damn about your Elders or any of your other self-righteous bullshit! You'll feel the wrath of Alcazar if I have to hunt down every dark lighter on the planet and steal one of their crossbows! You help him, dammit, or so help me—"

"Andy!" Prue's hands were tight on his arm. She pulled on him, trying to yank him back. "Andy, stop! You don't mean what you're saying!"

He turned to her and screamed, "I don't! He's my brother! What would you do to save one of your sisters, huh?" He turned back to Leo. "You think the witches are the only ones who give a damn about their families?" He pulled back, then shoved him hard against the wall, again. "That is my flesh and blood over there, and by God, I'll do whatever I have to do to save him!"

"Leandro, enough!" Lorenzo crossed to him and took hold of his arm. Andy jerked away so hard that both Prue and Lorenzo were sent backwards. "This is not helping Luis!"

"He can help him!" He snarled at Leo, pushing him harder and harder against the wall. "I never ask you of a damn thing! I never ask any of you of anything! I use my connections, I put my ass on the line every day to keep your secret! Now, all I'm asking you to do is stop one innocent man from dying! He may not be totally pure and whatever the hell your idea of innocent may be, but he's innocent enough. Someone tried to murder him! How much more innocent can you get!"

And then, just as he heard Prue crying out his name, he was flying across the room. Andy hit the wall with a thud, then slowly slid down until he was sitting on the floor, his knees up and bent. Prue ran to him and knelt her head. "I hate using my power on you, but I can't just let you…" She shook her head and turned to Leo. "Do something. I know you can, and he's right. If you could heal Cole, how can you look at Andy's brother and not even try? Cole had tried to kill us how many times? But in the end, he was innocent enough for you. But, Luis… You could try, Leo."

"Prue…" Leo sighed and looked towards the bed. "I don't even know if I can heal all of that. It's not just one centralized injury. He shouldn't even be alive, Prue."

"But, he is, and maybe he's alive for a reason. Maybe Andy calling me wasn't just dumb luck or desperation." He turned to Andy and looked at him with sad eyes, regretful eyes. As though she knew that she were his last hope and if she failed him, there was no telling how far he would fall. Sighing, she turned back to Leo. "Nothing happens for a reason. Phoebe's always saying that she doesn't believe in coincidence, so there has to be a reason we're here. We may not know it, and maybe Phoebe didn't get a premonition because Andy was there to guide us here, but… We don't know that you're not supposed to save him."

"We'll know if it doesn't work." With his shoulders drooping, Leo stepped up to the side of the bed. He looked down at Luis, then slowly rose his hands. He passed his hands through the air over his body from head to toe, then back up. "There's so much damage here, Prue." He sighed. "I can heal the damage to his brain, but the rest is up to him. I don't know if I buy your explanation, but he's right. This man's heart is filled with a love that can't be contained. If he…"

Leo shook his head. He lowered his hands until they were just an inch above Luis's head. He closed his eyes and his face went slack. A bright, golden glow emanaged from his palms, lighting his hands and Luis's head. The light brightened, then dimmed out of existence. With a sigh, Leo pulled his hands back and let his arms fall to his sides. He turned back to the others in the room and said, "I've done all I can do. I've healed the injuries, but his body is still broken. He has to heal that on his own."

Andy looked up at him with red eyes. He ran his hands over his head, then back down his face. He stared at Leo, then flashed his eyes to his brother. He wasn't sure if Lorenzo believed what was going on, that Luis had been healed, but he knew that Lorenzo would ask questions. They wouldn't be any easier to answer, but at least with Luis on some kind of path to recovery, he could wrap his mind around the explanation.

He turned back to Leo and said softly, "Thank you." Andy then turned to Prue and wanted to apologize, but he couldn't. He hated bringing her into this, putting her in this position, but he couldn't feel enough guilt to warrant an apology. His brother didn't deserve to die like that, and he wasn't going to allow it to happen. Finally, with a sigh, he just whispered, "Thank you," to Prue, then dropped his head down until his forehead tapped his knees.


	5. Chapter 5

She leaned against the door frame and watched him sleeping. Or, at least she thought he was sleeping. Andy's arm was tossed over his eyes. His chest rose and fell so minutely that she could barely see it across the distance. He wore a black t-shirt stretched tight across his chest, and unfastened black slacks. Even his socks were black.

The bedside lamp was on, and for the first time, she took real note of the ring he wore on his right middle finger. The light bounced off of the gold. It was almost identical to the ring that she'd seen on Lorenzo, worn on the same hand. A similar ring had rested on the table beside Luis, and she would bet that he worse his on the same hand, as well. She'd never taken a look at it before, but she thought she might do it this time. She was an antique's dealer, after all, and family heirlooms and their crests were of interest to her.

Andy moved, and Prue knew that he wasn't asleep. His arm fell and he rolled to his side. His eyelids rose halfway. Prue sighed and said, "Phoebe had a couple of visions. I need to go back home."

He sat up with a groan, straightening himself up. He bent forward and ran his hands up his face. "You don't need an excuse to leave, Prue," he said in a low voice. "You could just go."

"It's not an excuse, Andy." She crossed the floor with her arms folded low over her stomach. Prue stopped at the foot of the bed, somewhat cautious. His brother would live, but Andy still seemed to have a weight on him. She didn't want to get into an argument before she left. It could possibly be one that they would never finish when he came back home. If he came back home.

Sighing, she walked around to the side, then sat down beside him. "She had a vision of your brother," Prue told him. "She thought it was you, and they've been trying to get in touch with me. Lorenzo let me use a phone to call home, and…" She shrugged. "I didn't tell her anything, just that we'd taken care of it. I guess we were supposed to save him, anyway."

"Isn't that nice?"

His voice was hot and angry. But, who was he mad at? "You don't have to be like this, ya know." She sighed and shook her head. "I just thought I'd tell you. The other vision… they need the Power of Three, so Leo's going to orb me back. Lot quicker than flying from South America."

He rose his head slowly and looked at her. His eyes, usually so bright and clear, were dark and muddied. "Then go, Prue." He sighed and put his head back down. "Go, and… I'll be there eventually. I've got things to do here and by the time I get back to San Francisco, I figure you'll have made up your mind, so just…" He shrugged. "Put the stuff I have at the manor in a box and leave it near the door."

"Andy…" Her brow furrowed. "I have no idea what you're talking about. You act like this is it. Like we just had a vacation break-up on a non-vacation. Did I miss something?"

"You tell me, Prue. I haven't talked to you since Leo tried to heal Luis. I don't know what you've been doing, but it's apparently whatever you can to be nowhere near me. I lied to you, Prue, I get that, and as pissed as I was that you lied to me all that time… I should understand. And ya know what? Part of me does understand. But another part of me says that my secret was nowhere near as big as yours and, goddammit, I deserve forgiveness."

Prue looked at him in shock. Forgiveness, to her, wasn't even a matter to be pondered. The only matter of forgiveness that could have been part of the equation as far as she was concerned would have been if she hadn't called Leo and convinced him to help. Then, it wouldn't have just been Andy forgiving her. It would have been Prue trying to forgive herself.

Sure, there was a time when she would have taken him to town for lying. A bit of the old Prue still wanted to do it. She wanted to stand there, in a high-rise Caraquan hotel, and scream at him for not trusting her. She could have handled the news. She'd handled it when he finally was forced to tell, hadn't she? So what would have been the big deal? Yes, it would have been a fine row between the two, but it was one that wasn't necessary. He _had_ told her the truth. She _had_ accepted it. What more was there to do about it?

Now, she just wanted to take him home. There were things that needed to be done back in San Francisco, feelings to take care of. He was still visibly upset over his brother's attempted murder, and he needed to be some place where he could sit down and really wrap his head around things. They also needed to go back so he could explain things to Piper and Phoebe.

Both had questioned her when she called home, but that was something that she couldn't tell. It wasn't her secret to share. Technically, Andy hadn't even shared her secret with Lorenzo. He'd found out when he saw it himself. So, if he could give her the chance to explain it, she could do the same. She just told them that it wasn't Andy, he was perfectly healthy, and that she would be home as soon as she could. She didn't say whether it would be with or without Andy. She supposed the latter.

"I was trying to give you space, Andy. Time to deal with all of this. Time to be with your brothers. You haven't talked to them in years, and when you do, it's because of some tragedy. I wasn't being distant. I was trying to be considerate."

"Well, don't," he said with a sigh. "It doesn't suit you." Andy looked up at her and sighed again. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do now, Prue. I just…" He shook his head. "I don't know how to handle everything."

She suspected that 'everything' wasn't his end of whatever cover-up she had last overheard Andy and Lorenzo speaking about. Instead, she thought it was more directly related to his brothers. She also felt that the anger he held, what he lashed out at her with, was just as directly related to Lorenzo and Luis Alcazar.

"They pulled me back into something that I didn't want to be a part of. I don't regret helping Luis, but I regret that this even happened. That I even had to be called into it." He sighed and dropped back on the bed. His head hit the pillows and his legs straightened. "Am I supposed to just go back to my life, now? Do I tell Lorenzo not to call me with any more of his mess? Or am I supposed to go out and do what I know the PCPD won't do?"

"And what is that?"

He rolled his head to the side and looked at her with steady eyes. "Find my brother's killer… attempted killer." He ran his hand down his face. "They don't give a damn who pushed him off of that balcony. As far as those people are concerned, they're glad he's dead."

"Andy…"

"I put in a call to some people I know. People that either don't know who I am, or who have ignored that my name is Leandro Alcazar. People outside of Port Charles." She sighed. "My brothers have federal connections, we all do. They saved Luis's ass from prosecution once, and really, even they don't care who did this. If anyone is convicted, it'll be a quick scapegoat so they can close the file. But, honestly, I don't think there will ever be a conviction."

"Andy, I don't know what you want me to say. We could probably find out, have Phoebe call a premonition, but… Do you really want to know? I mean, in the end… Yes, you want to know who attacked your brother, but do you want to know why? Would you want to know if it made him look bad?"

"Honestly?" He sat up and leaned against the headboard. "I don't know."

"I don't think you do. You don't want to think that maybe Luis deserved whatever he got. You don't want it to be that obvious. And whether or not he deserved it… you don't want to be the person to tell Lorenzo who was behind it all."

"Why not?"

"Because I know you, Andy, and I know that you don't want someone's death on your hands. I'm not stupid. I know that if Lorenzo knows who pushed Luis, he'll have them killed, and neither of us can be a party to that. But, we can save him, and we did. And you can cover up the fact that he's alive, so he can get better. After that, it's out of our hands."

He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. The two sat in silence for a few minutes, then Andy said, "You should be going. There are demons to vanquish and they can't do that without you."

"I know." She leaned forward and put her arms around him. Prue was still for a second, until Andy's arms wrapped around her shoulders. He pressed her tight against him for a second, then she pulled back. "Do you want to just orb with us?"

"Uh… no." Andy let out a small laugh. "I'm used to a lot of things, but I don't think I'll ever want to touch that part of magic." He snickered again, then shook his head. "Besides, I've got to talk to Lorenzo, and Luis might actually be somewhat lucid tomorrow. I need to make sure they know what's going on, and to keep their mouths shut."

"Always trying to protect my secret."

"And you'll protect mine." He kissed her gently, then put his fingertips at the corner of her mouth. "Now, you get home. Tell Phoebe to stop complaining that she didn't get to go on vacation, because I know she is." He smirked. "I've still got a place down here that I can bribe her with if she doesn't take my news too well."

"I'm sure that'll help it along."

"Exactly. So, go, and I'll see you in a couple of days. And be careful," Andy said. "The last thing I need is to come back to San Francisco and find you in some warlock's clutches."

"From your mouth to Melinda Warren's ears."

Prue smiled and kissed Andy once more, this time harder, then stood up from the bed. She watched him as he laid back down and closed his eyes. Maybe he would finally get some sleep. He definitely needed it. She turned as she felt a presence behind her and looked up at Leo. "Ready to go, huh?" He nodded and she took his hand. Prue looked at Andy one more time before they orbed out and smiled. For once, she felt fully confident that she hadn't picked up another excuse to break up with him… Because she didn't want one.


	6. Chapter 6

Lorenzo was quiet. He had always been quiet but Andy couldn't remember the last time his silence was tangible. But it was now. It was a breathing thing, with anger and confusion lurking beneath the calm. There were a number of things that Lorenzo could have said at that moment, and plenty more that he could have done… and Andy didn't like any of the options.

If he knew that he would be able to say something without his brother's wrath burning him, Andy probably would have gotten everything off of his chest already instead of waiting and staring at him for the past fifteen minutes. He felt like he was a child again, waiting to see how Lorenzo would react. It was strange that the last one born held the responsibilities of the first. Instead of Luis taking charge, it was Lorenzo every time. When something happened, the other two waited for Lorenzo to do something, say anything. Waiting, Andy was ten years old, again, biding his time until Lorenzo decided that it was time to speak.

He could have waited forever, and in the past it had felt as though he'd done just that. Unfortunately, though, he had to get back home. Morris wouldn't be able to cover for him indefinitely, and he was going to have to face the music with the Halliwells. He had to explain everything to them, more so now that he knew Phoebe had a premonition of his brother. The sooner he talked to them, the sooner it would be over, and maybe they could get back to what resembled, for them, a normal life.

"Lorenzo…" His brother's back was to him. When Andy called his name, he didn't turn. He called him again and Lorenzo started to move slowly. His shoulder pushed backwards. He pivoted on his heel and made a half-turn. "We need to talk about this so I can get back to San Francisco."

Lorenzo put his hand to his chin, stroking his full beard. His arms were folded, his right elbow digging into his left as he stroked his chin. "You put this thing in my lap, and now you're just going to run off back home. To do what, Leandro?"

"I've got a job to get back to, Lorenzo. I have a life in San Francisco." He sighed and shook his head. "I have people I need to get to, people I need to help."

"And us? What of your family, Leandro?"

"Don't tell me about my family. I came here to help my family. I risked others to help this family." As he spoke, his ire rose and he moved closer to Lorenzo. He turned for just a moment towards the bed. Luis was still unconscious and with the morphine in his system, would probably remain that way for quite some time. At least long enough for Andy to leave. If he could convince Lorenzo to get off of his back, then he could be the one to explain things to Luis. Andy had never been very good at that, anyway. Usually, when he tried, he only ended up in a fight with Luis. Lorenzo could make him listen. Lorenzo could make him understand.

Andy sighed and turned back to Lorenzo. "I've done all that I can for him and for you, Lorenzo. The rest is up to you."

"Will you find out who did this?" Lorenzo's eyes went past him, to the bed, to Luis. "We both know that the Port Charles Police Department will do nothing, and even if the federal agents or Interpol discover anything, they won't tell me."

"And you think I will?" Andy looked at him with a hint of shock. "Let's be honest here, Lorenzo. We both know that as much as my Alcazar blood begs for revenge, in the end, I don't want to know who did this. I am not about to give you a reason to kill someone, not when I know deep down that Luis probably did something to provoke whoever did this to him. I'm an Alcazar, but I am still a cop. I can't just hand someone over to you for execution."

"Then you're not an Alcazar, at all."

"Bullshit!" He stalked up closer, until there were only inches between them. "That's bullshit, and you know it! Every time something like this happens, you want to throw that in my face. Well, you left, too, Lorenzo. You left, and there was a time that you'd have said the exact same thing that I did. There was a time when you were above all of this. Now, you're right smack in the middle and I won't let you drag me down. I still have to live with myself, Lorenzo."

"Yes, you do," he said, almost threatening. Andy knew what he wanted, but he wouldn't give him the satisfaction. For a while, yes it would disturb his sleep to know that he wasn't even looking for the person who had "killed" his brother. But, it would have been even worse if he had to live with the knowledge that someone's death was on his hands. "But, you also have to live with your witch."

Andy took a step back, his brow furrowed. "What are you saying, Lorenzo?"

"I'm saying nothing. I am merely reminding you of what you've brought into this family, and what you expect me to accept. My guess would be that you're still here not to say goodbye, or to give Luis a final farewell, but to make sure that you impress upon me just how important it is that no one knows about this."

He would have loved to throw Lorenzo's remarks in his face, declaring that he'd never been so wrong in his life, but he was half right. If he didn't need to make sure that Lorenzo knew how important the Halliwell secret was, he'd have probably orbed out with Prue and Leo. He hadn't bought himself a return ticket anymore than he'd gotten one for Prue. But, that wasn't the only reason he stayed. He had hoped to hear that Luis would wake up soon, not to tell him what happened or ask him for details, thought that would have been nice. He hoped that Luis had enough sense to not go after someone because of this, or send Lorenzo after them.

But, no, he didn't just want to get details or zip his brother's lip. He wanted to look into his eyes, the eyes that were identical in lightness to his own but so different in their mischief. He'd watched him nearly dead for hours on end. Now, he just wanted to see him alive. Faith in Leo's healing abilities had nothing to do with it. If Leo said that his brain was healed, then so be it. His heart just told him that he had to see him, had to touch his face and be the one to tell him that he would be fine.

"I'd be lying if I said that you were completely wrong," Andy said with a sigh. "But, you are wrong on some parts. Yeah, I need you to keep your mouth shut about what you saw here, but I also want to say goodbye, to you and to Luis. And there's even some part of me that wants him to wake up long enough for me to tell him not to tell you anything. I've got a ton of reasons to be here, I can't do them all. But the one.." He shook his head. "I can make sure that Prue and her sisters are safe before I leave."

"Do you actually think that anyone would believe me if I said something? I can explain away Luis's recovery simply by the fact that he didn't land on the concrete. He landed on the hood of a car, a hood that dented. Why would I tell someone that a witch and her friend saved him when I can actually say something that won't cause people to look at me as though I've lost my mind?"

"I don't want you to let anything slip, Lorenzo." Andy sighed and shook his head. "Prue and her sisters have done a lot of good. Granted, for both of us, I'm sure they couldn't have done anything more important than saving Luis, but on a grander scale… They've helped a lot of people, and they can't do what they do if people are on their backs. They have enough to deal with on their own."

"Don't worry, Leandro. Your witch's secret is safe, but know this. I neither like it nor trust it. There's something impure about this whole thing, about them and what they can do."

"If you had seen what they've done, you wouldn't say that. And believe me, brother, you are the last one who should be calling someone impure. You sell drugs, Lorenzo. You kill people, and God knows what else you do. So, don't throw stones. There's way too much glass in your house for you to do that."

Lorenzo glared at him, but Andy stood his place. There was once a time when he would have backed away. No matter how innocent and light that Lorenzo tried to be in his previous life, there was always a dark part of him; a part so dark that the air around him went cold and the sky filled with gray clouds. But now, Andy was stronger. He could stand the chill of Lorenzo's anger. He could bear the brunt of his brother's ire.

Finally, Lorenzo sighed. His shoulders sagged and his arms fell to his sides. "Go back to your witches, Leandro. I'll call you when Luis wakes and you can talk to him. There's no reason he needs to know what happened here. But, you have to do the same for us. You tell those women what they need to know, and that's it. You don't want me to put them in any danger, so don't let them put us in any, either."

Andy snorted. "You really think I want them to know that one of my brothers is a drug czar and the other is an international arms dealer? Yeah, no worries there. I know how to spin a story, Lorenzo. It's the reason I haven't been fired yet." He shook his head, then spoke with sincerity. "Be careful, alright? I don't want another call saying I have to manhandle Leo again to get him to save another brother."

Lorenzo's snort was nearly identical to Andy's. "If you get another call, I sincerely doubt it will be about me. I don't get myself into near as much trouble as Luis does. And definitely not the same kind. Though…" His face went somber. "…I do wish that these contacts of yours had been available when Sophie died."

Andy reached out and laid his hand on his brother's shoulder. "So do I, Lorenzo." He sighed. "If it makes anything better, back then, they didn't even know what they had. And they certainly didn't have a life-saving white lighter at their beck and call." He let out another heavy breath. "But, that's in the past, and soon, this will all be in the past, too."

"I can't wait. Let's just hope that, when he wakes up, Luis has all of this Brenda Barrett nonsense out of his system. I can't handle much more of his obsession with this woman." Lorenzo sighed then gave a short, brusk shake of his head. "Go home, Leandro. Take care of your other family. You've already fulfilled your obligations to this one."

"Lorenzo…" Andy sighed. "I may not agree with what you and Luis have chosen, but you're still my brothers. I love you, and I'll always do as much as I can for you, as long as it doesn't compromise me. And I know that, no matter how you feel about me being a cop, you wouldn't put me in that position." He sighed again. "But, I do have to go."

"Then go. I can have the jet ready to take you back home."

"That's alright. I don't want IA to get a bug up their asses because I came in on a private jet. I'll just get a ticket and by the time I get there, the flight should be ready to board."

"And you'll explain this trip, how?"

"I have no idea, but I'll come up with something." His weariness showed plainly on his face. Andy needed to rest, and a trip from South America to San Francisco should give him just enough time for a nap before he ran into demons and Internal Affairs. As long as the turbulance wasn't too bad. The thought of the plane shaking was almost enough to make him take the private jet… Almost.

Shaking his head, Andy stepped in and wrapped his arms around Lorenzo in a fierce hug. "Call me as soon as he wakes up, alright? And seriously, be safe. I don't think I can take another phone call like the last one." He stepped back after the embrace, then walked over to Luis. He laid a gentle hand on his chest and softly said, "I love you, brother, even if you don't always think I do. You won't know what I've done for you, but know this… I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

Andy took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. He hadn't seen his brothers in so long, and it hurt that this tragedy was what brought them together again. He resolved to keep in touch better. It wasn't right for him to be so separated from them. Turning, he looked once more at Lorenzo. "I'll talk to you." Lorenzo nodded. "And our secrets…"

"We both have them, and we'll both save them."

"Thanks, Lorenzo."

He sighed. "Leandro… I don't like your methods, and I can't easily accept them. But, I know what it took for you to call Prudence, and I know what it took for you to come here. Thank you. Not just for Luis, but for coming at all. I needed you as much as he did."

"I know," he said softly, "and I meant what I said to Luis. I'd do it again. I just really hope that I don't have to."

The brothers stared at one another for a long beat. Finally, Andy knew that there was nothing left to say. He lowered his head and walked out of the room. When he reached his own room, he called the airport and secured a seat on the next flight that would get him to San Francisco. It was time to leave the power of three Alcazars and return to the Charmed power of three. "The life I lead," he muttered, then finished his preparations.


End file.
